Battle of Otsu Castle

The Battle of Otsu Castle was an engagement between the Western Army and the Eastern Army, led by Motoyasu Mori and Takatsugu Kyogoku. The Western Army succeeded in taking the castle, and held it until the surrender at Sekigahara.

Battle
Muneshige Tachibana, with 15,000 Western Army troops, besieged the Eastern Army stronghold of Otsu Castle, not far from Kyoto. The castle was held by Takatsugu Kyogoku, who was a Tokugawa general. Terumoto Mori led an attack on the west of the castle, while Sakon Shima ordered Yoshihiro Shimazu to lead the siege force. The Shimazu attacked the Central Garrison to seal off the enemy reserve force, and when he captured it, he ordered Motoyasu Mori to take command of its defense. Muneshige Tachibana's force advanced to do battle with Yasumasa Sakakibara's troops, but Magoichi Saika ambushed him with a rifle brigade. Muneshige managed to escape the trap, and Eastern Army reinforcements led by Kanbei Kuroda arrived, and forced Motoyasu to withdraw. However, Yoshihiro Shimazu counterattacked and repelled Kanbei's force and Takatsugu surrendered in fear. This secured Otsu Castle for the Western Army.